Today was the scheduled Rigid Heddle Workshop. There were 4 openings in the class, 3 registrants. As the day greeted us, it was cold and very wet. I was glad to have a workshop scheduled, rather than a bike ride.

We began at 9 am with winding yarn balls from skeins, and found this a good way to begin class since students often arrive in stages and yet the first student should be able to begin at the scheduled start time. by 9:30, we were well on our way to measuring out the warp.Each student in class had her own loom and each loom had a stand. This makes for easy weaving, I think. The warp is Louet’s washable merino. Perhaps Pearl. Each student’s project was to be a 10″ scarf. One student had dressed her Kromski Harp previously.

The student with the Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom direct warped her loom, while the Kromski owner measured her warp on the warping board on the back of the loom. Using this method of direct warping, we sley each slot and dot, rather than double sleying the slots only, then re-sleying after beaming. It was easier, however to double-sley from a front installed set of lea sticks on the Kromski. The loom owner said this was more clear for her than the method she used previously. Love to hear that! The looms were dressed in record time. Since the Ashford loom arrived with a cardboard version of warping sticks, we used them: For the Kromski, we simply used bathroom tissue for warp separator. Both ladies were weaving very quickly after lunch. We had a warm bowl of chicken soup and biscuits for lunch by a fire provided by my DH. Quickly back to work, the weavers began their work.

Progress was quick and the only real question of the day was about those darn edges!!!!! I’m of the opinion that you shouldn’t need to fidget with them, and yet….. if that’s the only thing that brings results for you……. The ladies did convince me that the selvage loops are a result of my method of beating…… humility is a very good lesson;0)

The student using mohair for weft opted to remove her piece from the loom although it wasn’t complete, so I could demonstrate hem stitching, and she was a quick study and did a great job. We then moved to the sink with the sample fabric (approx 18″ long) and wet-finished it. At that point, the ladies pack it up and we said our Goodbyes. I’m thankful to have met/re-met these ladies and hope they are new friends. On student asked about a local guild and I told her that Richmond used to have, and may still have 2 weaver’s guilds. James River Weavers was one guild and Richmond Weavers Guild is the other. There is also a spinning guild in Richmond: Clothos Children. I’ve heard that Clothos Children are active in a variety of the fiber arts.

Ahhh, we are almost home! We have been on the road since last Sunday at the crack of daylight, traveling to Grand Canyon with all kinds of fun stops along our journey. We found ourselves ‘Standing on a Corner on Winslow, Arizona” just yesterday, gettin’ our kicks on Route 66 the same day! We visited the Grand Canyon, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, toured the Celestial Seasonings plant, and Schacht Spindle and Loom Company in Boulder, and much more. It has been an awesome trip. We traveled 700+ miles today, and will do the same tomorrow, finishing our trip on Tues…. a day early….. with a little over 600 miles (WHEW!). Total miles have not been calculated, but it looks like 4000+ miles for the 8 days.

Don’t ask me how few I drove;0)

I’m looking forward to being back in the studio with you all on Wed. and then Thurs and with the folks in the Learn to Weave in a Weekend class on Sat. and Sunday. I still have an opening in the weaving class this weekend, and a couple of spaces in the Wed. night weaving classes beginning in Nov. Hope you will join us in my weaving and fiber arts studio in Richmond, VA.

The first session will meet from 9/24 – 10/15. It’s 10 instructional hours.

This is in the far west end of Richmond, VA. Contact me if you are interested. It’s rigid heddle looms, table looms, frame looms, and tapestry looms.

I’ve also posted a couple of wetfelting-by-hand classes. hat-felting, and rug felting, and a weekday and weeknight sewing class. HOpe this helps some of you that I had to put on the waiting list. visit the ‘contact me’ page for information on how to reach me if you have questions. Much love.

AAAHHHHHH, a beautiful sunny day in which to warp my Lillstina. I had to do a minor alteration in the loom to make it more functional, but am so incredibly happy now that I began warping it after midnight, and continued on well into the new day.
The warp is a 360 thread alpaca/silk yarn sett at 24epi. Originally, I intended to sett it at 36, but found it very difficult to wind on because of the texture of the yarn (the halo actually). If I find my camera, I’ll post pics later.
Next, I think i’ll head over to Glen Allen, and work on my tapestry.
A cartoon needs to be drawn, and that’s what has held me up, but it’s time to do it.
I have a different color of the alpaca silk warp going onto my 16 shaft Macomber at Roseneath, along with a linen rug warp on the small 8 harness Macomber there. That’s for a commissioned tapestry.
Well, too much time on the blog, means too little time on the loom, so I must go.
Don’t forget the 12shaft AVL mechanical dobby loom is for sale and looking for a good home. There was an inquiry yesterday, but she was a very new weaver and has a very nice loom. As many of you know, to begin with a dobby loom, can deprive the new weaver from really learning the basics of weaving, and the interplay between the tie-up, treadle sequence and threading sequence. Although, there are those who think a dobby loom is one of the best ways to explain the interelationship of those elements.
Of course I would see it bass-ackwards (as my grandmother used to say).
GG.
Cherri

We have a weaving class starting Thurs. night at the Visual Art Center of Richmond. We meet from 6:30 – 9:00 pm and there are openings! Please join us for this 4 week session. In that time, you can learn to dress a loom, and weave off a project. We work on 8 harness Leclerc floor looms. There is a mix of new weavers (never woven before) and returning weavers, so no matter what your experience level, you will feel right at home.
Come join us.
804.353.0094
Thanks!